Ships in the Night
by thetimeladyswan
Summary: AU. Killian Jones and Wendy Darling met in Neverland, and formed a close alliance and friendship. Little did they know that that would lead to spending twenty-eight years living as father and daughter in a town called Storybrooke, Maine
1. Chapter 1

_Title: _Ships in the Night

_Summary: _Killian Jones and Wendy Darling met in Neverland, and formed a close alliance and friendship. Little did they know that that would lead to spending twenty-eight years living as father and daughter in a town called Storybrooke, Maine

_Rating: _T

_Warning: _Flashbacks will contain spoilers for season two

_Disclaimer: _Once Upon a Time belongs to the wonderful Adam and Eddy. Peter Pan belongs to J.M. Barrie. The idea this fanfic stems from belongs to tumblr user bamonbrigade1. Title belongs to Mat Kearney. Basically, absolutely nothing is mine

* * *

_Here I am, against my better judgement, going down the path of another multi-chapter fanfic. I'm not sure where this will lead. It might be just season one, or I might continue into two and three. We shall see._

* * *

Emma awoke with a start, on her first morning in Storybrooke. It took her a moment to remember where she was. She slid out of bed, pulling the curtain away, looking out at the town. The clock had moved, just like Henry had said it would.

She sighed. She needed a coffee.

No sooner had she gotten one for herself than there was a knock on the door. Opening it, she found that the mayor stood there, a basket of fruit in her arms.

"Did you know the honey crisp tree is the most vigorous and hardy of all apple trees?" asked Regina, with a wide smile, in lieu of a 'hello'.

Emma confused, looked from the Mayor to the basket of red apples she held.

"It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers."

She plucked an apple from the basket, holding it out to Emma with a fake smile.

"… Thanks," said Emma, taking the apple.

She extended the basket to her. "I'm sure you'll enjoy them on your drive home."

"Actually, I'm gonna stay for a while."

Regina's smile vanished. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Henry has enough issues, he doesn't need you confusing him."

"All due respect, Madam Mayor, but the fact that you have now threatened me twice in the last twelve hours makes me wanna stay more."

"Since when were apples a threat?"

"I can read between the lines," said Emma, with a fake smile of her own. "Sorry, I just wanna make sure Henry's okay."

"He's fine, dear. Any problems he has are being taken care of."

"What does _that_ mean?" asked Emma, concerned.

"It means I have him in therapy. It's all under control. Take my advice, Miss Swan, only _one_ of us knows what's best for Henry."

"Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right about that," she said, looking Regina in the eyes.

"It's time for you to go."

Her expression didn't change. "Or what?"

"Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan," said Regina, taking a step towards her, all pretences long forgotten. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

* * *

Emma looked up from the newspaper as Ruby placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of her. "Here you go."

"Thank you," she said, lowering the apple she was about to take a bite of. "But I … did not order that."

"Yeah, I know," the waitress smiled, leaning across the counter. "You have an admirer."

Emma looked over her shoulder, noticing the Sheriff sitting at a booth on his own. She sighed, setting down the paper and picking up the hot cocoa instead.

"Ah," said Graham, leaning back in his seat. "So you decided to stay."

"Observant; important for a cop."

"That's good news for our tourist business, it's _bad _for our local signage."

Emma shot him a look.

"It's – it's a joke ... because you ran over our sign ..."

"Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture," she said, glancing down at it to avoid eye contact. "And I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon in my chocolate, 'cause most people don't – but I am _not _here to flirt, so, thank you, but no thank you."

She set the mug down on the table. Graham shook his head.

"I didn't send it."

"I did. I like cinnamon, too."

Emma looked up to see Henry climbing out of a booth. "Don't you have school?"

"Duh, I'm ten," he said, as he approached her, hoisting his schoolbag onto his back. "Walk me."

They left the diner, crossing the street. Emma tossed the apple from one hand to the other. "So, what's the deal with you and your mom?"

"It's not about us, it's about her curse. We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step one: identification. I call it, 'Operation Cobra'."

"Cobra?" she asked, holding the apple in one hand. "That has nothing to _do _with fairy-tales."

"Exactly," Henry looked up at her. "It's a codename. It'll throw the queen off the trail."

"So, everyone here is fairy-tale character, they just don't know it?"

"That's the curse. Time's been frozen … until you got here."

Thoughtful, Emma raised the apple to her mouth.

"Hey!" Henry exclaimed. She took it away quickly, shocked. "Where'd you get that?"

"Your mom."

"Don't eat that!" He took the fruit from her hand, throwing it over his shoulder. Emma watched. She had been looking forward to eating that apple.

"… Okay. Uh, all right. What about their pasts?"

"They don't know," Henry told her. "It's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything, and you'll see."

"So … for decades, people have been walking around, in a haze, not ageing, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious."

"I knew you'd get it!" Henry beamed. "That's why we need _you. _You're the only one who can stop her curse."

She stopped. "Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?"

"Yes!" Henry took his schoolbag from his back. "And right now we have the advantage. My Mom doesn't know that." He handed her several ripped out pages from _Once Upon a Time. _"The part with you in it. See? Your mom _is _Snow White!"

She looked at the illustration of Prince Charming holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. _Her _blanket. And then at Henry. "Kid …"

"I know the hero never believes at first, if they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them, read them. But whatever you do, _don't_ let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are … then it would be bad."

"Okay," she said, rolling the pages up. "I'll take them."

They reached the school.

"I gotta go, but I'll find you later and we can get started. I knew you'd believe me!"

"I never said I did!"

"Why else would you be here?" he grinned, running off toward the school.

Mary Margaret, who had witnessed the scene, approached. "It's good to see his smile back."

"I didn't do anything."

"You stayed. So … does the Mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh, she knows," Emma nodded. "What is her deal? She's not a great people person, how did she get elected?

"She's been Mayor as long as I can remember," Mary Margaret explained. Emma remembered what Henry had said about everyone's memories. "No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of … well, fear. I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

"Who does he think you are?"

She scoffed. "It's silly …"

"I just got five minutes of silly," Emma laughed. "Lay it on me."

"Snow White."

* * *

Emma sighed as she reclaimed her seat at the counter of Granny's Diner. If Henry was to be believed, then Mary Margaret was her _mother. _She didn't know quite how to process that.

"Hey," said Ruby. "Do you want your cocoa?"

"If you don't mind," she smiled at the waitress. Glancing over her shoulder, she found that Graham was still sitting at the booth, though now he was not alone.

"I'll drop it down," said Ruby, with a sly smile.

"Thank you."

She approached the table, smiling as the two men noticed her. "Hello."

"Emma. How's Henry?"

"He – he's good," she said, glancing from Graham to the other man.

"Killian Jones," he smiled, offering a hand to her. She noticed that the other was a prosthetic.

"Emma Swan," she replied, accepting the handshake and sliding into the booth beside Graham.

"I've heard a lot about you, Swan," said Killian, with a smile that was more like a smirk.

"Hmm. Front page of a newspaper will do that to you. And, for the record, there was a wolf in the middle of the road. I swerved to avoid it."

"I believe you," he said, in a voice that suggested he didn't.

She spared him a look, before turning to Graham. "Look, I'm sorry for … assuming."

"It's fine, Emma."

"Good," she smiled, as Ruby placed her warmed-up hot chocolate on the table. "Thanks, Ruby. So … how do you two know each other?"

"We met in college … I think," said Graham, his forehead creasing into a frown. "Yeah. We were roommates for a while."

"Your memories haven't failed you, have they, mate?" Killian joked.

_According to Henry, they have, _she thought wryly, taking a sip of her chocolate. She was worried about that kid.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to work, _mate_?"

Killian sighed. "Don't remind me."

"Dead-end job?" Emma guessed.

"My chosen career for the last three years, actually."

She raised an eyebrow, taking another sip of hot chocolate. "Doesn't sound chosen. What do you do, anyway?"

"He sells fish at the docks," said Graham. "Certainly not the most glamorous of careers, but Aiden is a good guy."

"Speaking of … I'd better head. See you later, Graham. It was lovely to meet you, Emma."

"Bye."

"He seems …" Emma began, but, unable to find a word, merely took a drink of her cocoa.

Graham laughed. "I know the feeling. He's a good man. Promise."

"I suppose I have to believe the Sheriff," she smiled. "Anyway, I'd better get going too. There's someone I need to see …"

"See you around, Emma."

"Yeah."

* * *

Emma opened the door of her room at Granny's for the second time that day. This time, her visitor was the Sheriff.

"See, when you said 'see you around', I thought you meant in a couple days or something."

Graham smiled humourlessly. "Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?"

She frowned. "No …"

"I'm shocked, too, given your shy, delicate sensibilities." The smile was still there. "He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused you came back and stole them."

"He _gave _them to me."

"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or must I get a search warrant?"

Emma sighed, opening the door. She made her way over to the bed, gesturing to Henry's file, which she had recently been reading. "This what ya looking for?"

He picked up a page, glancing from it to Emma. "Well, you're very accommodating. But, I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you're under arrest. Again."

She sighed as he cuffed her. "You know I'm being set up, don't you?"

"And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?"

"Regina. She wants to keep me away from Henry."

"Ah. Of course."

"You don't believe me, do you?" she asked, squinting at him.

"Unfortunately, no."

"You know the shrink is lying, right?" she tried again, as the Sheriff took mug shots of her.

"To the right, please." She obeyed him. "Why would he lie?"

"The Mayor put him up to this," Emma replied. "She's gotta have something on him. He's terrified of her, like everyone else in this – town."

"To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job."

"How far would she go?" asked Emma, narrowing her eyes. "What does she have her hands in?"

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything."

She raised an eyebrow. "Including the police force?"

He shot her a look.

"Hey!" called a familiar voice. Henry ran into the station, followed closely by Mary Margaret.

"Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?"

"His mother told him what happened," Mary Margaret explained.

"Of course she did!" Emma rolled her eyes. She looked down at Henry. "Henry, I don't know what she said—"

"You're a genius!" he exclaimed.

Emma stared. "What?"

"I know what you were up to. You were gathering Intel," he said, leaning closer. "For … Operation Cobra."

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost …"

Henry turned to Graham. "It's … need to know, Sheriff, and all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's gonna bail her out."

Emma frowned at the teacher. "You are? Why?"

"I – uh – trust you."

"Well. If you could un-cuff me …" she extended her wrists to Graham. "I have something to do."

* * *

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Emma looked up to see the infuriated mayor approaching her. She dropped the chainsaw she had been using to cut one of the branches of the tree. "Picking apples."

"You're out of you mind!" Regina exclaimed.

"No, _you_ are, if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off. You're gonna have to do better than that. If you come after me one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree," she picked an apple from the ground. "Because, sister, you have no _idea_ what _I_ am capable of. Your move."

She walked away from the house, to find Killian standing there, smiling.

"Nice, one, Swan."

She merely smiled. "Apple?"

"I'd rather not. Who knows what kind of poison there is in that."

Emma laughed, as they walked down the street together. "Henry thinks that too. This morning, he actually took the apple from me and threw it away."

"Well, if she is the Evil Queen, then we should all know better than to accept an apple from her. You know what happened to Snow White."

Emma glanced at him. "You know Henry?"

"Aye," he nodded. "He goes to school with my daughter."

"Oh?" she raised her eyebrows. "They're not friends?"

Killian grimaced. "Henry doesn't really have any friends."

"Yeah …" Emma murmured. "So I've noticed."

* * *

Emma knocked on the door of Mary Margaret's apartment, a sense of doubt settling in her stomach. After this, she would leave. But did she _want _to? She still wasn't sure if Henry was okay – she was less sure than ever, now. And, like it or not, she was making friends. Mary Margaret, Graham … Killian.

"Hey," she said, when Mary Margaret opened the door. "Just wanted to say thank you, and, um, pay you back the bail money." She held out an envelope with the money, sighing.

"You look like you need to talk," smiled the woman, a knowing look in her eyes.

She nodded, and was escorted into the loft.

"Hot cocoa?" Mary Margaret asked, setting the envelope down on the worktop.

"Yes please," Emma smiled, sitting at the table.

"Here you go."

"Thanks." She took a sip. "Cinnamon?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologised, sitting at the table. "I should have asked. It's a little quirk of mine. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Emma replied. She could hear Henry's voice in her head. "_See? Snow White _is _your mom!_" Mary Margaret offered her a cookie. She shook her head. "No, thanks. When you bailed me out, you said … that you trusted me."

Mary Margaret nodded.

"Why?"

"It's strange – ever since you arrived here, I've had the oddest feeling – that we've met before. I mean, I know it's crazy."

"I'm starting to re-evaluate my definition of crazy," she murmured.

"For what it's worth, I think you're innocent."

"Of breaking and entering, or just in general?"

"Whichever makes you feel better," Mary Margaret laughed.

"Doesn't really matter what anyone thinks I did or didn't do. I'm leaving. Thank you for everything, but I think it's for the best. If I stay, Henry's only gonna keep getting hurt."

The schoolteacher considered her. "What happens if you go?"

Emma said nothing.

"I think the very fact that you _want_ to leave is why you have to stay. You care about him. Who will protect Henry if you won't?"

"You're right. I have to stay. Thank you, Mary Margaret. I really appreciate it."

"Where are you going?" the teacher called after her, as she stood up.

"To talk to my son."

* * *

_Still recovering from Killy being cursed. Don't touch me._

_This chapter was very transcript-heavy, but the next will be more original. Promise._

_Okay, so, Killian's memories go like this:_

_He was born in Armagh (Colin is from Louth). His mother moved him and his brother to London after their father abandoned them. He went to college with Graham. After their mother died, he got into sailing. Liam died in a boat accident. After that, he fell into alcoholism, had a terrible relationship *cough*Milah*cough* and was so drunk one night and doesn't even remember how he lost his hand. He got himself back together, and met the Perkinses (Darlings). The three became close, but then they moved to Maine to start a family. A few years ago, he got a phone call telling him that they had died in a car accident and that they had named him Wendy's guardian. Graham helped him to settle into Storybrooke. (Though of course, in reality, he's been there all along)._

_Aiden is Prince Eric's Storybook persona. Going off the glimpse we saw of him in 'The New Neverland', I'm gonna assume that he was selling fish. Not sure yet if Ariel will be cursed or if she'll be in the same situation as she was on the show._


	2. Chapter 2

_Oh my God, you guys! I did _not _expect such a reaction! I'm so happy! Thank you all so so much! :3_

_As promised, this chapter is more original than the first. In fact, it's completely original. It will flit between Neverland and Storybrooke. Hope you enjoy ..._

* * *

Wendy took a deep breath, steeling herself, as she stepped aboard _The Jolly Roger._ It hadn't been easy to find, but after escaping Pan, she knew that she had to continue with her original plan to find Baelfire.

And this is where he was, according to the information she had bought with her mother's necklace.

She shivered, as she made her way cautiously across the deck. She wished she had something to wear other than her nightgown, but now was not the time to complain.

"Who are you, and how did you find my ship?"

The young girl winced at the feel of the dagger as it was placed to her throat. She didn't move. "My name is Wendy Darling. I come from another realm. The shadow tried to take my brothers."

"And you took their place?" the man asked, voice mocking. She felt cold metal at her side as well, and was horrified to find that her captor had a hook for a hand. Captain Hook. "How _heroic _of you."

"No," she replied, standing a little straighter. She would not allow herself to be frightened. "Another boy did. A friend of mine. I was told I'd find him here."

The dagger withdrew, just slightly. "Why would there be a boy on a pirate ship?"

"You tell me."

"What was the name of this boy?"

"Baelfire," said Wendy, chancing a look up at the pirate. "Is he here?"

The weapon disappeared altogether. Wendy turned to face the man.

"I'm afraid not, lass," said Hook, sounding genuinely sad as he pocketed his dagger. "He left."

The girl folded her arms, partly to guard against the cold. "You didn't look for him?"

"We didn't part on the best of terms. Look – Wendy – you don't belong in Neverland. Pan's Shadow usually only takes young lads. Perhaps it will take you home, and you can be with your brothers."

"It won't."

The Captain raised his eyebrows. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because Pan had every intention of keeping me prisoner," Wendy explained, trying to keep the anger from her voice. "Of using me against my brothers. I only narrowly escaped him."

Captain Hook stared at the girl in front of him. Her blonde curls fluttered in the wind. She was slightly built, and was wearing nothing but a nightgown and soft shoes. It was highly unlikely that she had escaped Pan. Unless that was what he wanted her to believe.

"You haven't escaped him. Get below deck. Now!"

* * *

"Papa?" asked Wendy, tying her blonde curls back in a ponytail as she descended the stairs. "Have you seen my schoolbag?"

Killian frowned, looking up from the omelette he was making them for breakfast. "I think it was in the living room."

The girl disappeared into the next room, in search of her backpack.

"Found it!" she called triumphantly, after a moment or two, returning to the room and sitting at the kitchen island. "Thanks, Dad."

Killian was surprised at that. Wendy always called him 'Papa', reserving the title of 'Dad' for the father she barely remembered. "Can you get us some plates?"

"You're still coming to the hospital today, right?" she asked, almost worriedly, setting two plates down on the counter and pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"Of course," Killian assured her, tipping half of the omelette onto each plate. "I wouldn't miss it. And not just because Mary Margaret would get mad at me."

Wendy laughed. "You're not afraid of Miss Blanchard."

He cocked his head, sitting down next to the girl that he had come to know as his daughter in the last five years of her life. "True, but it doesn't mean she's not scary when she wants to be."

Wendy agreed with that, possibly remembering the time she and Henry had gotten in trouble for trying to steal one of the books in Mary Margaret's classroom.

They ate in silence, until the sound of the clock ringing out startled them both. They glanced at each other.

"It's working?"

Killian checked his watch. "Must be. You'd better get going."

Wendy nodded, cramming the final forkful of omelette into her mouth and gulping down her orange juice. She slid off her stool, slung her schoolbag onto her back, and said, "Bye Papa."

"I'll see you later at the hospital," he replied, kissing her on the cheek goodbye. "Be good!" he added, as she made to leave.

She opened the front door, glancing back at her guardian. "I'm always good."

* * *

"Cap'n?" asked Smee, evidently frightened. "Who was the girl? What's going on?"

"The Lost Boys should be on their way. Listen to me, Mr Smee. You saw no girl. There are no girls I Neverland. Understood?"

The last remaining member of his crew nodded tightly. "I suppose I'll be needing my cutlass."

"I suppose you will."

Smee out of sight, Killian leaned against the side of his ship. "Felix. Fancy seeing you here."

The boy smirked, weapon slung across his shoulder. "What is it with you and children Pan's looking for?"

He cocked his head. "Come again?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Hook. Where is the girl?"

"Girl?" he asked. "I've never seen a girl in Neverland. I assumed that was the whole 'Lost Boy' thing."

Felix approached. "You did the right thing when it came to the boy. I'm going to give you a chance. But after that, I'm going to tear this ship apart."

Hook smiled a wide, fake smile. "I look forward to it. Bye now."

"Cap'n?" asked Smee uncertainly.

"It's all right, Mr Smee. They're gone. For now."

"Who's the girl?" he asked, as they made their way below deck.

"A friend of Baelfire's. Her name is Wendy. She was Pan's prisoner."

The man removed his red cap, clutching it tightly in his worry. "And you think we can hide her?"

"We hid Baelfire successfully enough, didn't we? I don't intend to make the same mistake with the girl. Wendy?" he opened the door of his quarters. "Are you all right?"

The young girl, who was seated on his bed, nodded. "Who was that?"

"Pan's right-hand man," Killian replied wryly, crossing the room. "He offered me a choice; hand you over or have him tear this ship apart."

"You won't, will you?" asked Wendy, fear in her voice. "Hand me over?"

"We wouldn't dream of it."

It was only them that Wendy seemed to notice the other presence in the room. Mr Smee tipped his head towards her before pulling the cap back on. "Milady. William Smee, at your service."

The girl smiled as Hook sat next to her, shaking her head. "I'm not a lady. Just a … lost girl."

* * *

"Coffee, please, Ruby," Killian requested, sitting at the counter of Granny's. "Morning, Swan."

She glanced up from the newspaper she'd been reading – thankfully, without her face on the front page that particular morning – and smiled. "Jones."

"You're sticking around, then?" he observed, as Emma folded up the _Storybrooke Daily Mirror_. "Even with Regina?"

To his surprise, the woman chuckled. "She's giving me even more reasons to stay. I'm worried about Henry."

Killian nodded. "Rightly so."

She considered him for a moment. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Day off."

She quirked an eyebrow. "And you sit around in Granny's on your days off?"

"No." Ruby set his coffee in front of him. "I volunteer at the hospital on my days off."

He paid for his coffee, and stood, picking up the to-go cup. "I'll give Henry your best. See you around, Swan."

* * *

"Captain?" asked Wendy, approaching the ship's wheel. She was still wearing her nightgown, but was wrapped in a cloak to ward against the chill of the sea air. They had left the port hours ago for the relative safety of the open water.

"You can call me Killian, if you'd prefer," he said, focusing his attention on steering the ship rather than the girl behind him. They were in calm waters now. He could let the ship simply drift. He turned to Wendy, and made a sweeping bow. "Killian Jones. They only call me Hook because of this," he raised his left arm. "Though it can prove a useful tool."

"Mr Smee said that you're searching for a way off this island. Where do you plan to go?"

"Back to my land. The Enchanted Forest. I don't know if there's a way to get you home as well."

She merely shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Best that we leave this … place. My family will be safe together."

He considered the girl, surprised. "How selfless of you."

Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Are you mocking me again?"

"No, I'm quite serious."

She folded her arms. "I'll take it. So, where are we headed, _Killian_?"

"The jungle."

* * *

"Henry?"

The young boy glanced up at Killian. "Hey, Mr Jones. Are you looking for Wendy?"

He shook his head. "Miss Blanchard was wondering where you were. What are you doing in here?" he added, glancing between Henry and the coma patient that occupied the room they were in.

Henry beamed. "I figured out who he is."

"Back in the fairy-tale world, you mean?"

The boy nodded, opening his book to a page with an illustration of Prince Charming. "See the scar?" he asked, pointing at the picture. "Mr Doe has one just like it. Snow White gave it to him. With a rock."

Killian chuckled. "I'm sure that was a sight to see."

Henry shut his book, considering the unconscious man.

"You think he's Emma's father?" Killian grinned at the boy. "Well, he does have her chin. C'mon, let's get you back to your class."

"Have you seen Wendy yet?" asked Henry, ducking under his arm as he held the door open.

"Can't say that I have, lad."

"She'll be happy to see you. I'll help you find her."

"Henry!" Mary Margaret Blanchard exclaimed, concern in her voice. "Where were you? First Wendy—"

"Wendy's missing?"

"I'm sure she's around her somewhere," the schoolteacher assured him. "She was probably looking for you."

"Can I help you look?" asked Henry, hopeful.

"No, you can help the others with the decorations. Go on; Miss Ginger's helping you."

After whining about how Miss Ginger was awful, the boy returned to his classmates.

"I hope you won't make a habit of losing your students on school outings."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes.

* * *

"You'll take me with you, you promise?"

"I may be a pirate, but I honour my deals, fairy. My ship is just beyond this next ridge."

"How do you propose we leave this place?" asked Tinker Bell, as they continued to walk.

"A long time ago, I made a ... deal of sorts with Pan. It didn't end well for me, but perhaps I can again."

"You want to _bargain _passage?"

"I don't see why not," Killian glanced at the former fairy. "There are no beans, and you are without magic. Our choices are limited. Ah, Smee," he smiled at his only remaining crewman. "Is all well?"

"No, Cap'n. The girl. She's gone."

"_What?_ Was it the Lost Boys? Was she taken?"

"What girl?" Tinker Bell demanded. "There are no girls here. The shadow only takes boys!"

"She came to try and rescue her friend," Killian explained, before turning his attention to Smee. "Did she leave of her own accord?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry, Cap'n."

The three of them rushed back to the ship, only to find Wendy sitting on the deck.

"Wendy?" asked Killian, approaching her cautiously. "Are you all right?"

Brown eyes, shining with tears, met his own blue, telling him that no, she was not all right.

"I thought I saw Baelfire."

He sat next to the girl, wrapping his good arm around her. "I'm sure he's out there somewhere. He's too clever to let the Lost Boys get ahead of him."

Wendy nodded, wiping her tears away.

"If we find a way out, perhaps we could look for him. Offer him the chance to come with us."

The girl looked up at him in awe. "You'd do that?"

"Aye. It's the least I can do for him."

* * *

"Gwendolyn Jones!"

Wendy winced, stopping in her tracks. Her teacher never called her by her given name – not even when she did something unfavourable. She had to be in deep trouble now.

"I'm sorry, Miss Blanchard," she said, turning to face the woman. "I thought I saw someone I knew, but—" she shook her head, confused. "I was mistaken."

"Your father's worried sick!" Mary Margaret seemed unable to remain angry at her for very long. "Come on. I don't want to be labelled as a bad teacher."

"You're a great teacher," Wendy assured her.

"And I'm sure you'd say that if you weren't in trouble."

"I would! Honest!"

Miss Blanchard laughed, an arm around Wendy's shoulders as she directed her back towards the ward where the others were.

"So, who were you looking for?"

"I – I don't know …"

"Okay."

"Gwendolyn Marie—"

"Papa."

"I already did that," Mary Margaret smiled, leaving father and daughter alone as she returned to her class.

"Where were you?"

Wendy sighed. "I was looking for someone – I thought I knew them, but … I didn't."

"You worried me," her guardian admitted, voice low.

"I'm sorry, Papa," she replied, sincerely. She hugged him, his bad arm coming around to hold her against his chest. "Though there's not much that could happen to me in a hospital."

"Shut up; It's my prerogative to be worried."

She grinned up at him. "So I'm not grounded?"

"We'll see," he replied, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

* * *

"Killian?" called Wendy, making her way along the passageway. She was sure she'd heard footstep's, which had to mean that Killian, Tinker Bell and Mr Smee had returned, which had to mean they'd found away off the island. She spotted the Pirate Captain. "There you are … what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Wendy," said Hook, voice low and guilt-ridden. "He'll only allow for three of us – and the Jolly – to leave the island. It's enough for him to give you up as a prisoner He must want Baelfire here, to whatever end."

The girl nodded, her blonde curls bouncing. "I understand. We have to believe that he can find his own way off this island … wait, three?"

The Captain sighed, scratching his ear. "Tinker Bell … has deigned to stay behind."

"No. She can't. We _promised _her."

"She agreed to stay behind," said Killian. "There'll be no changing her mind now. She's waiting above deck, to say goodbye."

Wendy nodded again, leaving him alone to venture onto the deck, where the former fairy stood, leaning against the side of the ship.

"Tink?" she asked, walking towards her.

She turned, smiling down at the girl she had befriended. "Wendy. Are you all right?"

"No," she answered truthfully, blinking furiously in an attempt to keep her tears at bay. "I have to leave you behind – and Baelfire."

"I'll look out for him, I promise," Tinker Bell assured her. "Provided I can find him, of course. But don't forget, Wendy, his being elusive is a good sign. If we can't find him, neither can Pan's brigade."

"I know. You're right. It's just – hard."

"Here," said the fairy, placing something into Wendy's hand. "A parting gift. Something to remember me by, perhaps."

She glanced down at her open palm. A small vial of green dust, attached to a silver chain, sat there.

"I can't get it to work," said Tinker Bell. "Not without my wings. But it might be able to help you. Somehow."

"Thank you," she smiled, hugging the fairy.

"Are we ready to leave?" Killian asked, from behind them.

Wendy glanced over her shoulder at him. "I think so."

* * *

Wendy played with the necklace she was wearing as she walked to Granny's after school, remembering where it had come from. Not long after her parents had died, when Killian had come to take care of her. Long before she had accepted him as her guardian, her papa, he had bought her this necklace. 'Fairy Dust', or glitter in a bottle. Bought from a shop with two dollars, but still, the first gift he had given her, and the first time she had smiled at him.

Now she considered him her best friend. She had friendships with people at her school, but they weren't quite the same. Henry was nice, but all they ever talked about was speculation over which fairy-tale character each person was. She had more in common with Paige, but she didn't quite view her as a good friend either. And Ava could be hostile at times, reluctant to reveal anything about the situation she and her brother were in. Wendy worried about the Zimmer twins, sometimes.

"Wendy!" Henry beckoned her over to the booth at which he was sitting, storybook open in front of him. "You'll never guess what happened!"

After a quick search of the diner, telling her that her guardian had yet to arrive, she sat across from Henry. "What? What happened?"

"Prince Charming woke up!" he beamed, pointing at one of the illustrations.

"Miss Blanchard woke him up?" asked Wendy, intrigued. They had long since agreed that Mary Margaret Blanchard had to be Snow White.

Henry nodded enthusiastically.

"Keep me posted?" asked Wendy, as her father entered the diner. Henry agreed that he would, and she bade him goodbye, returning to Killian.

"Henry seems happy," he observed.

"Prince Charming woke up," Wendy informed him.

"Did he, now? Well, that's interesting."

* * *

_Here starts my complete disregard of canon. Woo. We'll see more Killian and Wendy backstory, including the whole Cora and Regina mess, though I'm not entirely sure how I'll deal with that yet._

_I believe that Wendy still has the desire to find someone, even though she doesn't remember who it is she has to find, or that she's already, in a way, found him (in Henry)._

_Hopefully Hook's ideology of 'I screwed up with Bae, I should help this girl' works. If I get that far, I plan to have Wendy go to Neverland with the others to save Henry._

_Sorry for the lack of CS in this chapter, but its focus was on Killy and Wendy, so ..._

_How adorable was JMo in her interview? And they are confirmed true loves! Listening to the CS theme as I type this. Hell yeah. _


End file.
